By combining their expertise in scientific research and non-mathematical modeling, Aepodia and Bio-Modeling Systems have started to construct two new CADI™ models that describe and explain the Fibromyalgia and chronic facial pain mechanisms. The purpose of this collaboration is to open new avenues that will be decisive for the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of severe pains.

“We are convinced that this combination of expertise in biological pathways involved in pathological states as well as in clinical pharmacology and translational medicine will generate new treatment hypothesis to be tested in clinical proof-of-concept studies with medicinal products already available for clinical administration. Fibromyalgia and chronic facial pain are first diseases selected to apply this approach” said Denis Gossen, CSO of Aepodia.

Pain, a major, yet severely under-estimated, component of public health

Pain is a major, yet severely under-estimated, component of public health in need of novel, disruptive conceptual frameworks that can drive the renewal and the evolution of therapies.Fibromyalgia is a widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which etiology is not wellcharacterized. It is notoriously difficult to diagnose and the symptoms can be confused with other disorders(such as rheumatoid arthritis, or chronic fatigue syndrome).

Nevertheless, it is estimated, based on currentmethod of diagnosis, that the one-year prevalence in the 7 major markets is around 2% and the estimatedfibromyalgia population in this geography is about 17 million. The pain drug market is a USD 35 billion market worldwide, which has been growing year after year. During the last 5 years however, the growth is less pronounced with 1.8 % increase per year until 2026. Nevertheless, chronic pain (including fibromyalgia) and cancer pain are foreseen to increase (+60% between 2008 and 2018).

A1 phase entirely self-financed by the partners

The A1 phase of this program is entirely self-financed by the partners, revealing the confidence in their capacity to jointly identify and characterize mechanisms that will lead to quicker specific combined therapies for the patients. The scientific program is placed under the shared leadership of Dr. Denis Gossen, co-founder and CSO of Aepodia, and Dr. François Iris, founder and CSO of Bio-Modeling Systems.

“We are very happy to collaborate with Aepodia. Collaborating with such a complementary highly skilled team in drug development and regulatory strategy is the only way to transform heuristic systems biology into Mechanisms-based Medicine delivering novel therapies to patients quicker better cheaper and safer”, said Manuel Gea, CEO of BMSystems.

About Aepodia.

Aepodia is specialized in the strategy and delivery of early drug and Medical Devices development, including the most pertinent Regulatory strategy. Aepodia provides scientific translational strategic consultancy, expertise in development of human predictive Pharmacodynamic models, and access to an international network of experts in various drug development disciplines. Aepodia highly skilled and multidisciplinary experienced operational team facilitates the conduct of those (complex) clinical trials, This team implements, manages and executes clinical trials, by offering “ad hoc” or “full services” support to complement the sponsor’s internal team (e.g., Regulatory Strategy, Study design, Project Coordination, Monitoring, Competent Authority Submission, Site Selection/Assessment/Management, Medical Writing …). In addition to traditional services, Aepodia conducts preclinical and clinical Due Diligence to facilitate out-licensing or in-licensing activities. For more information, please visit http://www.aepodia.com/

About Bio-Modeling Systems (BMSystems):

Bio-Modeling Systems, an innovative company founded in 2004, is the first and, to date, only company to successfully create in-silico heuristic models validated in-vivo. BMSystems’ heuristic models, built by its biologists using an integrated IT solution called CADI ™ (Computer Assisted Deductive Integration) have led to discoveries, patents, and operational businesses in the fields of infectious diseases, immunology, neurology, psychiatry, oncology, dermatology and innovative bioprocesses for industrial biotech. BMSystems’ models describe the biological phenomena involved in pathological states and provide new mechanisms to explain the cause of certain diseases, identify and select predictive biomarkers, offer new combinations of molecules and new therapeutic strategies, thereby contributing to the development of Mechanism-Based Medicine. This i) results in a significant reduction of short-term risks in therapeutic developments, ii) provides a new life to clinically well characterized molecules while iii) concurrently preserving the medium term potential for new drugs development. Bio-Modeling Systems has made central and peripheral neurological diseases its primary axis of research, embodied by on-going programs and filed patents. BMSystems has successfully completed programs in infectious diseases, oncology, neurology, psychiatry, dermatology, immunology and metabolic disorders which led to patents and the creation of new companies exploiting these patents. For more information and access to presentations & publications, please visit http://www.bmsystems.net